Perspective

Parker's 4th surgery is over, he is resting comfortably. Once again the Critical Care Specialist wouldn't give me a smidgen of hope, it's like he can only dole out good news once a week. But the surgeon, polar opposite of the CCS, was very optimistic and said he should not have any residual problems as a result of this procedure today (except the hernia, which I'll take over what we thought on this day one week ago....).

Here is what they did in the surgery today (don't read this if you are squeamish):
Parker's abdomen has been open for one week with a sponge thing called a vac-pac which kept it sterile and gently tried to pull the flesh together slowly over time. This was because he had what is called Abdominal Compartment Syndrome(ACS. They originally had to go in and open him up last Tuesday to relieve the pressure the building fluids were putting on his organs, causing them to shut down, after the first surgery Monday night. It is something that is done often in shock trauma situations. Surgeon told me today that he "used to do them 18 years ago" during his residency. Glad I didn't know that before today.

Because Parker has been in so much pain, and because when he coughs in his attempt to get the ventilator out of his throat his guts were bulging out (words of the surgeon), they went in and put a piece of mesh along the muscle wall to create a new fabric muscle. Then they took 12 tiny pieces of plastic, laid them on top of his abdomen around the opening, and stitched from above those pieces, through his flesh and muscle, all the way down to the mesh, then back up and out and around. The plastic pieces serve as reinforcements.

They did this to hold it all together. Parker is known as the biggest cough er the hospital ever saw. Over time the flesh will grow together, but the muscle wall won't and he will have a hernia which will require surgery sometime down the road.

But thank you God that there will probably be a "sometime down the road."

The next 24 hours are a bit critical, watching closely to be sure the area doesn't get infected, watching to be sure the fluid doesn't start building back up again, all kinds of things. But he was resting and quiet and has made great progress over the past week.

Next step is to try and get him off the ventilator. They won't do any weaning today because he will be in a good bit of pain and will need to be sedated (which lowers respiration) but hopefully over the next few days they will have some success there and we can avoid having the tracheotomy.

Please continue to pray and send positive energy his way. Thanks.

On another note, there is a family who has been "living" here in the ICU Waiting Room with us since last Thursday. There is a mother, a father and a fiance' of a 30 year old girl who had spontaneous brain bleed last week. Cause unknown.

Today the Chaplain and their Neurosurgeon came and took them into The Room (the one you go in to when you are getting bad news because it offers you some privacy from all the people milling around). The mother came out a half hour later, the father and the fiance' could be seen through the open door, sobbing, their heads in their hands. Although the girl has been somewhat responsive over the last 24 hours, they said she will never be the same. She will live, but she will require 24 hour a day care for the rest of her life.

At this point it feels as though Parker will live (barring any complications over the next 24-48 hours). I feel so blessed.